IME and Physician conflict of interest

[OldJoe]

Instead of continuing a thread that dealt with CUE and beating a dead horse I thought it wise to start a new thread.

In the pursuit trying to fixed my messed up claim I finally have found a physician that does IMEs

Here is how he responded to my email explaining my situation:

<...>

"I read your email. It does sound like you could use some assistance. 

A bit about myself. I do perform IMEs for civilian cases but I am also employed by a company that is contracted by the VA to perform similar disability assessments. I will have to check with my employer to see if your case presents a conflict of interest."

<...>

Of, all the flipping luck!!!

I responded and explained further my situation.

Hopefully he responds soon.

That said, I need any advice possible on what I should do next.  I know this could be a blessing or this could be a curse, I don't know which...

[Buck52]

Make sure you make double copies of everything you send to the VA.

ArNG11

ITS WERID we can't sleep good without a CPAP and then we get one and we do sleep better...so do they think we love the C-PAP? of course were going to sleep better, thats like telling a vet well you have a prosthesis leg now your good as new.

crazy BS is all it is with the VA.

[Gastone]

Old Joe, did you ever post a redacted copy of your SA C & P DBQ?

A redacted copy of your SA Denial Letter would really help understand your situation. How exactly are you attempting to link your current SA DX, as a Direct or Secondary SC?  What's the Nexus?

Have you seen a Non VA Sleep Specialist, Neurologist preferably? For a couple $100.00 to cover the office call, if they agree with your Nexus and opine as such in their Clinician Notes, you should be good to go. You don't really need to pay $1000.00+ for an IMO.

The above "Clinician Notes" approach worked for myself and (2) other Vets here on Hadit. They actually visited my Board Certified Sleep Specialist Neurologist and shortly thereafter, notified me that they were awarded their SA SC. The Dr agreed with their Nexus Theory, and they left his office with a copy of the Exams Clinician Notes indicating a "More Likely Than Not," DX association. Total cost for the office call, was less than $200.00.

Semper Fi

[ArNG11]

11 hours ago, Buck52 said:

Make sure you make double copies of everything you send to the VA.

ArNG11

ITS WERID we can't sleep good without a CPAP and then we get one and we do sleep better...so do they think we love the C-PAP? of course were going to sleep better, thats like telling a vet well you have a prosthesis leg now your good as new.

crazy BS is all it is with the VA.

There are specific things that you must do in order to protect yourself from the BS the Veterans Adminstration tries to pull.  That is for sure.

The stance is all a shell game to keep honest worthy folks away from the things that were traded for years of service.  But I agree with you Buck.  Same old, same old, just a different time, decade or century.  

[ArNG11]

3 hours ago, Gastone said:

Old Joe, did you ever post a redacted copy of your SA C & P DBQ?

A redacted copy of your SA Denial Letter would really help understand your situation. How exactly are you attempting to link your current SA DX, as a Direct or Secondary SC?  What's the Nexus?

Have you seen a Non VA Sleep Specialist, Neurologist preferably? For a couple $100.00 to cover the office call, if they agree with your Nexus and opine as such in their Clinician Notes, you should be good to go. You don't really need to pay $1000.00+ for an IMO.

The above "Clinician Notes" approach worked for myself and (2) other Vets here on Hadit. They actually visited my Board Certified Sleep Specialist Neurologist and shortly thereafter, notified me that they were awarded their SA SC. The Dr agreed with their Nexus Theory, and they left his office with a copy of the Exams Clinician Notes indicating a "More Likely Than Not," DX association. Total cost for the office call, was less than $200.00.

Semper Fi

all for this approach, when it works.  I would still try the method as it is within everyones grasp.  

Benefit of doubt, equivocal medical evidence, in the Veterans favor, most advantageous to the Veteran, medical opinions based on past and contemporary medical history using medical rationale, those terms seem to ring in my head often when we discuss this topic.

Oh yeah because the regulations and laws surrounding Veterans claims clearly state this is how the process should operate.

Go figure.

[Buck52]

Gastone

How did you go about approaching the VA Dr? did you fill out a nexus and ask them to read it and sign it? for your S.A. Claim?

Did you print out a DBQ sleep apnea form?

ask the Doc fill it out?

or did you just ask him about it and he did the rest?

or was this a private Doc?

I never ask a Neurologist to write me a  Nexus for S.A. Claim

seems they don't have the time to read  the medical records, but I suppose a private Dr  one that gets paid to read them will.

Its a damn shame we have to spend $$ like this to win our claims   when all along those idiot VA Dr's Could do it for us..if a veteran is getting his treatment at the VA and a Veteran needs some help like that to win his benefits...I see know conflict of interest, as they get paid good $$ too!

[Buck52]

I ask a VA M.H. PSYCHIATRIST last time I seen her which was just last week

'' if my PTSD Meds could possibly aggravate my sleep apnea/osa in any way?...her response was a simple'' NO.''

Whats Werid to me is  she is the one that prescribe these meds for me to calm me down for anxiety/night mares hot sweats, to help me sleep better because of my Sleep Apnea, actually she is the one that ordered my Sleep Study. and she did state in her Notes ''Veteran sleeps better with his New c-pap machine.''

even tho I use a C-PAP Machine I still have N/M's and sweats...toss& turn knock of the CPAP Mask

I never mention my claim to her at all  just was asking her a question, she never even mention that I ask her that in MYHEALTHYVET Notes  Not a word about it